1 officer arrested, 1 placed on leave amid Lufkin Flock camera misuse investigation

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - An officer with the Lufkin Police Department has been arrested following an investigation into his potential misuse of Flock Automated License Plate Reader technology. [KLTV Channel 7 News]

A law enforcement officer in East Texas faces criminal charges following an investigation into possible improper use of automated license plate reading equipment, authorities announced.

The Lufkin Police Department apprehended Zachary Anthony Klein, who spent 11 years with the agency, on Thursday morning. Texas Rangers took him into custody and transported him to the Angelina County Jail, where he was booked on two felony counts: abuse of official capacity and tampering with a government record. The charges relate to his alleged mishandling of Flock camera technology, a system designed to automatically scan and record vehicle license plates.

According to a departmental statement, police officials discovered irregularities in how the equipment was being used and launched an internal audit to examine the matter more thoroughly. The Lufkin Police Department's internal affairs division initiated its own inquiry into the conduct of Klein and a second officer. Recognizing the need for an impartial review, Police Chief Travis Brazil brought in the Texas Rangers to conduct a separate investigation into potential violations.

The second officer involved in the probe has been removed from regular duties pending the completion of investigative efforts. Authorities have not disclosed specific details about what prompted the examination of the officers' use of the technology or what misconduct may have occurred.

In response to the allegations, the police department temporarily halted all operations involving its Flock camera network while investigations continue. "While the investigations are ongoing, we have suspended the use of Flock cameras within the department," Brazil said in a statement.

The department emphasized its commitment to operating transparently and maintaining public trust as the matter develops. Officials said no additional details would be released at that time.